The Marra Mountains are apart of a large feature called the Darfur Dome. The area was a volcanic area and is considered dormant because volcanic gases are still present under the hot spring The Deriba Caldera was created by a volcanic eruption almost 3,500 years ago.

The Mountains are the tallest in Sudan. The elevation is 9,980 feet above sea level. Deriba Lakes has a dry sub-humid climate. The climate is a subtropical steppe. The soil in the area is a weakly developed shallow soil.